Lactation Consultants from the MemorialCare Center for Women at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Long Beach Memorial were awarded the IBCLC Care award from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). They were given this award to recognize their support of exclusive breastfeeding for all moms and their road to receive Baby-Friendly designation.

In 2003, the MemorialCare Center for Women received a grant to develop and staff a lactation support services department to further support mothers who desire to breastfeed. The program is now fully supported and funded by the hospital. Today the hospital has 13 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) who provide care for mothers prenatally, during their hospital stay, when their infant is in the NICU and after they leave through an outpatient clinic.

“We are so proud of how much the lactation department has grown and all of the work we have put into becoming Baby-Friendly,” says Bonnie Henson, RN, BS, IBCLC, director of clinical operations, Perinatal Education and Lactation Support Services at Miller Children’s. “We are honored and excited to have received the IBCLC Care Award.”

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to encourage and recognize birthing centers and hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding, especially breastfeeding.

The MemorialCare Center for Women is on the road to Baby-Friendly designation and has completed all but one step. The staff has educated more than 250 nurses, has a Baby Friendly interdisciplinary task force that meets monthly and has performed many quality improvement projects over the past several years. The team is actively engaged in their community – participating in many coalitions, educational seminars and other outreach programs.

Breastfeeding in the Workplace

In addition to the lactation support for new mothers, Miller Children’s and Long Beach Memorial aim to provide a supportive environment for their employees returning to work after maternity leave. They provide a reasonable amount of breastfeeding time to accommodate employees desiring to express breast milk for her infant, and a private, secure pump room is located on the medical campus. The pump room gives moms a chance to step away to have a private place designed especially for nursing mothers. The Lactation Consultants are available to employees to continue to help them reach their breastfeeding goals while working.

The MemorialCare Center for Women at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Long Beach Memorial joins the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other global organizations to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and campaign to spread the word about the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of mother and baby in new ways, including to young people.